Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Sophistication and Shortages

“Sophistication” is a term that is rarely used with our industry but really should be. If you take a step back and really note the advancements we have made in both metal and glass in the last 10-15 years it’s really impressive. The product availability process though is a double edged sword. With more sophistication and variety comes less time to run and less space to keep them. Those factors are playing into the current glass tightening situation and the fact that fabricators just can’t stock everything that is being made. Thus brings the next question… when will the herd be thinned? When will the older, less popular products be discontinued and who will have the guts to step up and do it. Believe me this is one to follow as glass gets tighter and the economy forces people to keep less material on their floors.

Elsewhere…. -- A great note on the USGNN message board about Energy Star and Vinyl/Plastic Windows. Nice to see someone else thinks that way and took time to comment.

-- Nice piece on USGNN on job site security. What a major issue that is these days with the costs of materials and the ability for someone to take some metal framing to the scrap yard for quick buck. Unfortunately the days of “good areas” and trusting people are long gone. If you are not doing all you can to secure your material and equipment, you’re really taking a chance.

-- Just curious what would you consider “large”? Top 5 in the industry? Top 10? I say this because I get a kick out of when people promote themselves as one of the “largest” so and so’s when they are probably (and most likely)not among the top 10 buyers or sellers of products in that segment. I mean wouldn’t you have to be that big to really say that? That’s like me saying I have one of the largest readerships on the web. I mean I get great traffic, but no way can I make that claim… but some folks like to think bigger than they are… or ever will be.

Off to the LINKS…

-- Can you still not believe Michael Phelps won that one race by his fingertips? Well Sports Illustrated has the evidence in photo form HERE. Man still unreal.

-- Amazing piece on this guy who HATES the windmillturbines on his property. I just don’t get his logic. To me it makes no sense to hate them as there’s much worse out there.

**** Must Read****-- This piece on a Better Way to Rate Green Buildings. If you have any interest in the whole LEED adventure at all, this is one to check out. Great insight and really makes you think. It’s a long piece but it is truly worthwhile and brings up some serious questions!

Video of the Week:

From my sister through our old friend and co worker Susie… a classic video with the theme of the Olympics fresh in our minds… major reasons why THESE people are not in China… great stuff!

1 comment:

Anonymous
said...

Hi Max, talking about SI.... did you happen to read the article on page 20, by Selena Roberts, about how the Chinese Government is useing duct tape to cover up mfg names on hundreds of items that did not fall under the Olympic Logo, even urinals.

Also, we already knew that the cute girl singing as she flew through the air at the opening cerimonies was not the real songstress, the real singer hidden back stage because she was not "pretty" enough to be seen as a representative. However, even some of the fireworks were digitaly added to the recording for our enjoyment.

A quick but very interesting read. If you disagree..... fill in the appropriate forms and protest at a designated protest area.